The St. Mary’s High girls basketball team led Carondelet with less than two minutes to play in the Presentation Shootout on Dec. 15, but was outscored 10-2 in the final 1:48 as the Cougars won 70-64. A 3-pointer by Mikayla Cowling gave the Panthers a 62-60 lead with 1:49 remaining, but a pair of 3-pointers by Carondelet’s Makenzie Cast lifted her team. St. Mary’s Gabby Green scored 21 points, Cowling had 16 and Elexis Goodwin added 12 for the Panthers, who fell to 5-1 with the loss.

— Staff

Oakland Tech defeats Piedmont Hills

The Oakland Tech High boys basketball team outscored Piedmont Hills-San Jose 23-11 in the third quarter in a 59-53 nonleague victory on Dec. 15. The Bulldogs’ Leo Smith scored a game-high 23 points and passed for nine assists. Teammate Pooh Woodfolk had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

— Staff

Balanced Encinal beats Hercules

The Encinal High boys basketball team took a 35-21 halftime lead and then held off the Titans for a 64-49 nonleague victory on Dec. 13. Matthew Canalin led a balanced Jets scoring effort with a game-high 13 points. Teammate Jordan Santa Maria added 11 points, as five Jets scored eight points or more.

— Staff

On deck

Berkeley at Bishop O’Dowd, boys soccer, Dec. 21, 6 p.m. — The squads, who were powers in different leagues last season, meet in a West Alameda County Conference showdown.

Tyrell Alcorn, El Cerrito boys basketball — Alcorn scored 11 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, but the Gauchos were unable to hold off Palma-Salinas and lost 66-63 at the Drew Gooden Invitational Showcase on Dec. 15.

Lamont Banks, St. Joseph Notre Dame boys basketball — Banks scored a game-high 19 points in the Pilots’ 47-29 victory over Bellarmine-Tacoma, Wa. in the first round of the Father Berry Classic on Dec. 13.

“Beyond the Headline” hosts and hold a wide-sweeping discussion about their experiences covering the devastating at the Ghost Ship warehouse that killed 36 people. They are joined by Bay Area News Group colleagues in award-winning investigative reporter , Oakland city beat reporter and seasoned photojournalist , who has the distinction of having been on scene for the Oakland’s two deadliest fires...